Whole Lotta Trouble
by Ivory Tower
Summary: Oh the mishaps poor Ginny suffers while trying to get Harry to notice her. What creepy, crawley things Snape keeps in his dungeon... A story for anyone who had a good intention that failed miserably


Title: Whole Lotta Trouble  
  
Author: Ivory Tower  
  
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all Harry Potter characters.  
  
Ginny frowned at her reflection. For the past two hours she had styled her hair in any number of ways, but nothing hid the fact her hair was flaming reddish-orange. Frustrated, Ginny pulled her hair out of it's stupid bun and scowled. She wanted beautiful blonde hair, or luxerient black like Cho Chang's. And her eyes-such a boring brown they were practically nonexistent! Ginny wanted deep blue eyes, or mysterious black, hazel, green...With a dreamy sigh Ginny imagined herself with straight waistlength black hair, and emerald eyes like Harry's. Then he'd pay attention to her because she'd have two of the same traits as he, and Harry wouldn't feel so...wonderfully different.  
  
"Stupid hair," grumbled Ginny, picking up her brush with the intention of brushing it straight as a board.  
  
"You're going to damage you hair at this rate, dearie," stated the mirror. "Slow down."  
  
"Not a chance. I-want-straight-hair-OW!" Ginny held her throbbing temple.  
  
"Lot's of girls would love a slight wave in their hair."  
  
"It looks stupid with red hair," Ginny complained. "Only blondes look good with wavy hair."  
  
"That is most certainly not true," exclaimed the mirror.  
  
"Well," Ginny sighed after a moment, "time for plan B."  
  
By the time breakfast was appearing on the tables Ginny was all smiles. Harry was sure to notice her now. Colin Creevey gave her a funny look as they sat down to eat.  
  
"You sure are wearing a lot of makeup," he informed her, and sneezed.  
  
"Oh be quiet!" Ginny was in no mood for immature boys her own age. Besides, she was on the sharp lookout for Harry, and didn't want any distractions.  
  
Finally, Harry arrived with Ron and Hermione, looking his usual gorgeous self. Ginny momentarily floated on air thinking how cute and reserved those glasses made him look. Ron was talking up a storm about something Ginny couldn't care less about, although she did notice he sounded rather upset.  
  
"So I said to him, I said..."  
  
'Shut up, Ron,' thought Ginny savagely. Wait a minute, she didn't want to be too obvious. better start with some casual small talk.  
  
"Hello, Hermione," Ginny greeted sunnily, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.  
  
"Hi," replied Hermione absent-mindedly, without looking up from her Arithmancy book.  
  
All of a sudden, Ginny was too shy to directly address Harry, so she quickly swung to another tactic.  
  
"Ron," she blurted without thinking, " is it true Neville transfigured his cauldron into a naked lady?"  
  
Where in the world had that come from? Ginny felt her cheeks blaze as Ron, Harry, and even Hermione regarded her oddly. Of all the stupid things to ask...Why hadn't she simply asked if today was Wednesday or Thursday?  
  
"Not that I know of. Uh...Ginny, wh-?" Ron was distracted by a shrill shriek further on down the Gryffindor table. Appearently, a first year Ravenclaw boy had taken the liberty of attempting to see up Lavender Brown's robes. Even Malfoy was impressed, as he and half the boys in the Great Hall asked if he'd seen anything of interest.  
  
"I think she was wearing pink underwear, but I'm not sure," gasped the boy, flushed with pride before Professor McGonagall marched over.  
  
Unable to think of a way to get Harry's attention without being annoying, Ginny finished her breakfast in silence. If she could just get him alone for a few minutes...Fat chance of that ever happening. If only she'd been born a little earlier so they'd be in the same year. If! If! If! Ginny glanced up at the clock and choked on her pumpkin juice. If she didn't hurry she was going to be late for Potions!  
  
Running down to the dungeon, Ginny cursed herself for not keeping track of time. As she dodged the other students, Ginny was struck by a sudden thought: Why hadn't Ron told her she'd better hurry? Or Harry? Or Hermione? Because she wasn't important enough, that's why. She was just Ron Weasley's little sister to them. Harry wasn't going to waste his time with a little kid. 'I am not a little kid!,' Ginny told herself firmly. 'And I will get Harry to notice me. Just you wait and see! I'll change my haircolor if I must. Oh geez, Mum'll kill me, but that's okay if-.'  
  
"Miss Weasley, you are thirty seconds late for class."  
  
Jolted from her thoughts, Ginny realized herself to be halfway to her seat in Snape's class. Her legs must have been entirely on automatic because she didn't remember actually descending the stairs, or opening the door to Snape's dreaded lair. Looking towards the front of the room, Ginny saw Snape's tall, shrouded figure sweeping towards her. She opened her mouth to apologize, but the words stuck in her throat upon noting the odd expression on Snape's face. He was looking at her in the exact way Colin had at breakfast.  
  
"What happened to you? Did those brothers of yours make you late with yet another of their infamous pranks?" Snape demanded.  
  
"No." Ginny felt her brow furrow in confusion. "Why?"  
  
"Did you fall into a vat of glitter, Miss Weasley?"  
  
"What-oh! No, that's just my perfume. It has glitter in it."  
  
Snape looked annoyed, then amused, then annoyed again. "Sit down! That's five points from Gryffindor for your lack of punctuality. As I was saying before Miss Weasley's entrance threatened to blind us..."  
  
Potions was such boring torture Ginny repeatedly caught herself drifting in and out of Snape's lecture. She fought hard to pay attention because she was already on his bad list for being late. The last thing Ginny wanted was a detention with Snape, especially since he was now rumored to assign cleaning out the cages of tarantulas as punishment. Why would anyone want to teach potions when it dealt with so many gruesome things? Didn't Snape have nightmares about all the nasty things he kept in his office?  
  
When Ginny and Colin were paired up to mix a Calming Serum, she was careful to re-read her notes before starting. Colin sneezed, then started in about the latest slew of pictures he'd sent to his dad.  
  
"...and I got quite a few of those Fire Wyverns before they trampled..."  
  
Ginny made occassional one-syllable responses. Her mind was frantic for a sure way to get Harry's attention for more than the ten seconds it took him to say "Hi, Ginny", then turn to Ron. Boys always noticed when a girl did something different to her hair. Perhaps she should try a French Twist or a-BOOM!  
  
When the swirls of smoke began to clear, Ginny was still at a loss as to what had happened. Then she noticed how shimmery everything looked. The entire room, students, and Professor, were covered with glitter. Seething, Snape marched over to Colin's and Ginny's cauldron, and peered in at what was left. Appearently, an ingredient in the Calming Serum mass produced glitter-some of which must have fallen off Ginny and into the potion as she and Colin worked.  
  
No one looked paticularly pleased, especially the boys. On a lighter note, the girls were rather mesmerized by the now sparkling dungeon. The fine specks of silver glitter stood out especially well on Snape's black robes and black hair. Ginny thought it looked kind of pretty against his pale skin.  
  
"Miss Weasley..." Snape was obviously trying to think of something particularly nasty to say, but was clearly too frustrated.  
  
Ginny attempted a light-hearted smile, but the way Snape's black eyes narrowed changed her mind. Of all the places to be at this moment, why oh why did she have to be standing before Professor Snape's towering rage? Today was not a good day.  
  
"You will serve detention every evening until every last speck of this glitter is removed from my classroom," hissed Snape in an unpleasantly calm voice. "You will start after dinner this evening, and you will leave your wand in your dormitory."  
  
No one was more delighted than Ginny when Snape finally dismissed class. He shot her a very evil look as she passed his desk on the way out.  
  
By the day's end, Ginny found out that not everyone shared her passion for glitter. Everyone who went to Potions after her had to sit on and be surrounded by silver glitter. Before long, nearly every student in Hogwarts walked about with glitter clinging to his and her clothes, arms, face, and hair. The more they tried brushing it off, the more the glitter stayed on. Of course, Snape had been all too glad to inform them who was to thank for the unwanted accessory. Even showering and a change of robes didn't remove all of it. Twas a very stubborn glitter, and Snape was too determined to punish Ginny Weasley for making the mess, than use a quick spell to remedy the matter.  
  
Needless to say that by dinner the glitter had become an epidemic that spared no one. Ginny was positively mortified by all the sour looks she received. Ron was especially annoyed with her, but, worst of all, Harry clearly did not enjoy glitter specks repeatedly ending up on the lens of his glasses. Several times during dinner he removed them to clean them with his sleeve. Even Hermione's dirt repelling spell did not deter the stubborn glitter. Ginny wanted to crawl under the table and live there until the whole thing cleared up.  
  
With leaden steps she descended into the gloomy dungeon, trying to figure out how things had abruptly become so chaotic. She'd just wanted to look nice so Harry would notice her, and now-. Ginny stopped short at sight of the glitterfied classroom. Somehow, it looked even worse than earlier. How on earth did Snape expect her to single-handedly clean-?  
  
"Admiring your work, Miss Weasley? Stop stalling and get busy."  
  
Snape always did creepy things like scaring the life out of you when you thought you were alone. That was what Ginny hated about Snape: he was always scaring her half to death!  
  
After deciding the best thing would be to sweep up as much glitter as humanly possible, Ginny grabbed a nearby broom and dustbin (courtesy of Filch) and set to work. The experience soon became more agonizing than Professor Binns's class. The task seemed endless, and the monotony was a living nightmare! Snape was busy in his office, so Ginny was completely alone in the cold, dark classroom, sweeping and sweeping and sweeping...  
  
Pausing to swing her aching arms, Ginny surveyed how much she'd accomplished. She had managed to clean off all the desks and the back half of the room, but there was a lot left to do. Snape was absolutely horrid- he'd probably keep her here until one in the morning.  
  
A sudden movement caught the corner of Ginny's eye as she pondered her fate. Instantly she faced the desk and scrutinized the shadowy area, squinting. Was she actually beginning to go batty from this? No-there it was again! It looked like an animal. Mrs. Norris? Ginny went over to investigate, figuring she'd hear from Filch if his stupid cat got all glittery. She decided to sneak up on Mrs. Norris and send her tearing out of the room. Acting quickly, Ginny jumped behind the desk with her arms out.  
  
"Ha! Ha!" she yelled, then she broke into a piercing scream and ran.  
  
That was *not* Mrs. Norris! It was a spider roughly the size of Mrs. Norris, and hairier than Hagrid. Ginny screamed louder when the spider began to chase her. It was quicker than a cat, and it could jump-it jumped in front of Ginny to head her off. This petrified her and she stood screaming at the top of her lungs. It took Ginny awhile to realize Snape was standing next to her, and yelling at her to be quiet.  
  
"The spider! The spider!" shrieked Ginny, pointing at the monstrosity running back and forth as if confused, or completely mad.  
  
"Miss Weasley, calm down this instant," barked Snape. "Your screaming is upsetting him."  
  
"It chased me! It *jumped* at me!"  
  
"He was only playing."  
  
Ginny stared at Snape in utter confusion.  
  
"*He*?"  
  
"He is my *pet*, Miss Weasley. He is not an *it*."  
  
Ginny's eyes grew large as saucers. "Your pet! That thing is your-how cant you stand to be near it? It's horrid!" Ginny broke into shivers just looking at it. Snape was crazy.  
  
Snape looked offended. "Get back to work, Miss Weasley. You will make up for the time you wasted-."  
  
"It tried to kill me!"  
  
"Stop saying that!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"'It'."  
  
"Whatsit? What?" Poor Ginny was upset and confused, and Professor Snape's presence was not helping her any.  
  
Snape's mouth thinned. "Stop playing games and start sweeping. Come along, Chester." Snape snapped his fingers and the spider obediently followed him back into his office.  
  
Ginny dropped the broom. Chester? Who named his pet spider "Chester"? Snape was a complete basketcase.  
  
All too soon, Ginny sorely regretted relating her tale to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Draco Malfoy overheard enough to tease her about gigantic flesh- eating spiders whenever he saw her. Worse still was the slow realization that none of the older kids actually believed her. Ron immediately attributed the experience to nerves and an overactive imagination.  
  
"But Ron, Snape stood there and told me-."  
  
"You're probably just mixing up part of you dreams with reality. Snape's always freaked you out, then someone started those spider cage cleaning rumors," said Hermione.  
  
"But I saw-!"  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. "Go and ask Snape if he has a pet spider named Chester. That way you'll know if you were dreaming or not."  
  
"All right! I will," flared Ginny and stomped out of the room. It wasn't until she reached the dungeon that Ginny realized how stupid she was being. Much to her horror, Snape sat behind his desk grading papers.  
  
"What is it, Miss Weasley," he snapped.  
  
A/N: Sorry to end it there, but I haven't written chapter 2 yet! Do you like it? Yes? No? Review! 


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